Metro on track for more women behind the wheel

Adam Carey

Early last year the company that runs Melbourne's rail network went on an affirmative action recruitment drive, advertising for female train drivers in a bid to change the face of a deeply male-dominated profession.

''We know that men can drive, but we believe women also make smart, safe and considerate drivers. That's why we're looking to even up the numbers,'' Metro's job ad said.

It worked beautifully. Metro currently has more women training to be drivers than it does men - 49 versus 47. Once fully trained, they will join a workforce that is still more than 90 per cent male, with 805 qualified male drivers and just 70 women.

But those women might struggle to find a place to go to the toilet, free from the presence of their male colleagues. Just one of the platforms at Flinders Street, the base station for all Metro drivers, has women's toilets.

The company, in response to repeated complaints from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, has boarded up the urinals inside the four men's toilets on the platforms and converted them into ''unisex'' facilities.

It is all very Ally McBeal, only in Hard Yakka pants.

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As well as unisex toilets, Metro's female drivers also wear ''unisex'' uniforms, consisting of the same polo shirt and cargo pants the male drivers have long worn. The union is also pushing to have this situation changed, but claims it is getting nowhere.

''Whilst the Locomotive Division applauds Metro's targeted female recruitment campaigns, there is an obligation on the part of Metro to match this public approach by providing adequate facilities for the female drivers already working [and those to come] at Metro,'' Mr Marotta wrote.

Metro spokeswoman Larisa Tait said the company was pleased that the number of women drivers was rising and was reviewing its uniforms and ''looking to change the whole look and design of the work wear and will seek input from our male and female drivers during this process''.